A failure of the heating element is the usual problem encountered in an electric dryer. This means that the dryer is running fine but the load of clothes in it doesn’t get dry because the heating element of the appliance is not releasing any heat at all. Learn how to repair your electric dryer at home without the spending more for a professional to do the job that you can do yourself.
How to Repair Your Electric Dryer
1. Locate the service panel at the back of your electric dryer. You need to remove the panel and if necessary, some screws will to be unscrewed.
2. Find the heating elements of your electric dryer and these are commonly positioned within the heater ducts of the appliance.
3. To know how to repair your electric dryer you need to test the heating the element of the appliance. You can do this by using a VOM or volt-ohm-milliammeter. Position the scale of the VOM to RX1.
4. Before testing the heating elements, you must take the leads away from the terminal ends of the power source of the VOM.
5. One probe should be clipped to a terminal end while another probe should be clipped to the other terminal end of the VOM.
6. The reading in the VOM should not exceed 12 ohms because if the reading is higher than that, then you need to get some replacement for your heating element. For a 110-volt electric dryer, the reading should be about 8.4 ohms while for a 220-volt electric dryer, the reading should be about 11 ohms. If ever your heating element needs to be replaced in order to repair your electric dryer, then you must write down its brand, electrical rating, and type to be your reference while purchasing the replacement.
7. However, if the VOM reading does not exceed 12 ohms then there is the possibility that your electric dryer is just grounded. You also need to test the heater of the appliance to really know that it is grounded.
8. Connect one probe of the VOM to the housing of the heater and the other probe to the heater terminal. If the VOM indicates a high rating and the meter needle displays a jump, it means that the heater is not grounded. You will know that the heater is grounded if the meter needle of the VOM is going back and forth at a low figure. A replacement for the grounded heater is definitely needed to repair your electric dryer.
9. In order to replace the heater of your electric dryer, you need to dismantle the back portion and the cabinet top of the appliance. Unscrew the leads and screws that holds the duct in place and take out the entire heater unit of the electric dryer.
10. Take the damaged heater unit to the store where you’re buying the new one for your reference. Then place the new heater unit to the exact place where the old heater unit used to be. Put the leads and screws back in their proper places. Now you know how to repair your electric dryer the cheapest way.
